Thunder to retire Westbrook's jersey in February

Russell Westbrook will watch the New York Knicks play in Oklahoma City on Feb. 7. By the time the first buzzer sounds, his number will already be hanging from the rafters. The Thunder announced Monday that they will retire his No. 0 that night.

Westbrook, 37, spent 11 of his 18 NBA seasons with the franchise. He left the team as the all-time leader in seven statistical categories. Those records include 821 games played, 18,859 points, 5,760 rebounds, 6,897 assists, 1,442 steals, 6,626 field goals and 28,329 minutes.

During his tenure, the Thunder posted a .607 winning percentage over 538 wins and 348 losses. That record was the third-best in the league at the time. The team reached the NBA Finals in 2012 and advanced to the playoffs nine times. They also made four trips to the Western Conference Finals.

Westbrook earned the MVP award for the 2016-17 season. He averaged 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 10.4 assists and 1.63 steals per game. He played 34.6 minutes in each contest. He became the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire season. His 42 triple-doubles that year set a single-season record, and his 209 career triple-doubles remain the all-time mark.

Thunder general manager Sam Presti called Westbrook one of the city's own. Presti noted that Westbrook's legacy extends beyond the court into the community. He described Westbrook's mindset as relentless and his commitment as deep.

The retirement ceremony will take place during the second quarter of the game against New York. The banner will join those of previous players honored by the franchise.